music labelshttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/15802/all
enApple Daily: iPhone 6S Rumors, Indies Cry Foul Over Apple Music, News Gripeshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple-daily-uk-indies-cry-foul-over-apple-music-iphone-6s-rumors-news-gripes
<!--paging_filter--><p>Welcome to our "cranky Wednesday" edition of the Apple Daily! Apparently, hump day is when everyone gangs up on Apple to complain about all their cool new stuff, with both indie UK labels and online publishers taking issue with Apple Music and Apple News, respectively. We've also got some new predictions on what to expect from this year's iPhone, so try to act at least a little surprised when you read them...</p><h3>Indie UK Labels "Completely Screwed" by 90-Day Apple Music Trial</h3><p>As a music fan, you're completely thrilled by the prospect of receiving three whole months of free streaming tunes when Apple Music launches on June 30 — but indie UK labels? Not so much. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/11679030/Record-labels-attack-Apple-deals-that-would-leave-them-completely-screwed.html" target="_blank">The Telegraph today reported</a> at least one industry insider on the British scene thinks handing out 90 days worth of free music could “literally put people out of business” due to the fact Apple won't be paying royalties to artists, labels, or publishers during the trial period.<br /><br /><img src="/files/u220903/adele_looks_unhappy_620px.png" alt="Adele" width="620" height="300" /><br /><br />“If you are running a small label on tight margins you literally can’t afford to do this free trial business," lamented Andy Heath, chairman of the UK Music lobby group. "Their plan is clearly to move people over from downloads, which is fine, but it will mean us losing those revenues for three months.<br /><br />“Apple hasn’t thought this through at all and it’s not like them," Heath added. "They can’t spring a contract like this on us three weeks from release." He went on to claim that Britain's independent labels and artists like Adele (shown above and looking quite unhappy) and the Arctic Monkeys will be “completely screwed” by the launch of Apple Music. Something tells us that in less than two weeks, few listeners are going to care...</p><h3>iPhone 6s Rumors: Force Touch, Improved Camera, Stronger Frame</h3><p>Japanese blog <a href="http://www.macotakara.jp/blog/rumor/entry-27205.html" target="_blank">Macotakara today reported</a> on a few recent iPhone 6s predictions made recently by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a pretty decent track record when it comes to this sort of thing. Among the potential improvements cited for this year's model are a Force Touch display, 12-megapixel camera, and a new Rose Gold model to match the current 18K Apple Watch Edition.<br /><br /><img src="/files/u220903/iphone_6s_mockup_rose_gold_620px.png" alt="iPhone 6s Rose Gold" width="620" height="300" /><br /><br />The report also claims Apple plans a switch to "7000 series aluminum" for the next iPhone body, which will apparently be "wider and taller" by about 0.15mm, and slightly thicker (0.2mm) to accommodate for Force Touch. A new design isn't expected, but the switch to aluminum could be good news for those worried about potentially bending the smartphone in their pockets.</p><h3>Apple Takes Heat from Publishers Over iOS 9 News App</h3><p>It seems indie music labels aren't the only ones up in arms with Apple today, as the BBC is reporting the forthcoming News app built into iOS 9 is also in hot water with online publishers unhappy with how the Cupertino company's invitation to provide content to the service presumptively assumes acceptance with the company's terms and conditions.<br /><br /><img src="/files/u220903/apple_news_ios_9_620px.png" alt="Apple News" width="620" height="300" /><br /><br />"You're going to consider me bound to terms you just declared to me in an email as long as I don't respond? That's completely crazy," blogger Mike Ash explained. "You don't even know if I received the email!"<br /><br />They key issue appears to be a clause in the terms which indemnifies Apple from any legal claims for such RSS content — and the only alternative is to opt out of having content in the News app entirely. Apple has yet to respond or clarify the accusations, although iOS 9 isn't expected to be released to the public until later this fall.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple-daily-uk-indies-cry-foul-over-apple-music-iphone-6s-rumors-news-gripes#commentsNewsAdelealuminumapple dailyApple Musicapple newsapple rumorsfree trialiOS 9iPhone 6smusic labelspublishersRose GoldiPadiPhoneiPodMacWed, 17 Jun 2015 23:07:35 +0000J.R. Bookwalter21745 at http://www.maclife.comApple Daily: Apple Music Royalties, New GarageBand Features, El Capitan Reviewshttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_daily_apple_music_royalties_new_garageband_features_el_capitan_reviews
<!--paging_filter--><p>OS X El Capitan has only been in the hands of developers and for a week now, but that appears to be plenty of time to formulate an opinion on the operating system. Our Monday edition of Apple Daily also takes a look at how much of your Apple Music subscription is going to music labels and publishers, and what else we might be able to look forward to when it's released on June 30.</p><h3>Apple Music Split with Labels, Publishers Higher Than Expected</h3><p>Persistent rumors have suggested Apple might be able to negotiate a better rate from streaming music licensors ahead of last week's Apple Music launch, but apparently that's not the case. <a href="http://recode.net/2015/06/15/heres-what-happens-to-your-10-after-you-pay-for-a-month-of-apple-music/" target="_blank">Re/code today reported</a> Cupertino will pay a more standard 71.5 percent of all subscription revenue from Apple Music to U.S. labels and publishers, with a slightly higher average of 73 percent overseas.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/apple_music_single_membership_620px.png" alt="Apple Music single membership" width="620" height="300" /><br /><br />The news comes directly from the man responsible for negotiating such deals with Eddy Cue, Apple executive Robert Kondrk. The deal does have one interesting footnote: No one's getting paid a dime during the extended 90-day trial period, which could prove to be a competitive advantage for Apple against the free one-month trials offered by the likes of Spotify and Rdio, who offer ad-supported playback — something Cupertino appears to have shunned entirely, with the exception of the Beats 1 radio station.</p><h3>Mac Journalist Spots New GarageBand Features Coming June 30</h3><p>June 30 will be a significant day for music fans with the official release of Apple Music, but that won't be the only software out of Cupertino getting a bump that day.&nbsp;Apple is also readying an update to GarageBand, and the news has already been confirmed on Apple's own website.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/garageband_for_mac_on_notebook_620px.png" alt="GarageBand for Mac" width="620" height="300" /><br /><br />"New features coming June 30," reads a small teaser <a href="https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/" target="_blank">posted on the company's GarageBand website</a>, with one highlighted feature that includes "100 EDM- and Hip-Hop-inspired synth sounds" such as Sweeping Arp, Droplets, Bright Punchy Synth, and Epic Hook Synth.<br /><br />On his personal blog, Macworld writer Kirk McElhearn&nbsp;suggests the update could also implement "some way of uploading content to Connect," the section of Apple Music where unsigned artists can promote wares directly to fans. Like Apple Music itself, a footnote confirms the new features will be available in the United States on June 30, and "coming soon" to other countries.</p><h3>OS X El Capitan Early Impressions Hit the Web</h3><p>Developers have only been poking around OS X El Capitan for a week now, but apparently that's long enough for journalists to also weigh in on Apple's next desktop operating system, with a flood of impressions now available to the public.</p><p><img src="/files/u220903/os_x_el_capitan_more_to_love_620px.png" alt="OS X El Capitan more to love" width="620" height="300" /><br /><br />As usual, <a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2015/06/15/os-x-el-capitan-review-roundup/" target="_blank">MacRumors has compiled</a> some of the quotes from each, and in general the theme seems to be OS X El Capitan isn't wildly different from the current OS X Yosemite, just a whole lot better and more convenient. <a href="http://www.loopinsight.com/2015/06/15/first-look-os-x-el-capitan/" target="_blank">The Loop cites</a> Mail improvements with IMAP accounts, while <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/15/mac-os-x-10-11-el-capitan-preview/" target="_blank">TechCrunch praises</a> the new formatting options in the built-in Notes app.<br /><br />OS X El Capitan Safari is also <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/15/os-x-el-capitan-preview/" target="_blank">singled out as a highlight by Engadget</a>, while <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/15/8778975/mac-os-x-el-capitan-10-11-preview" target="_blank">rival tech website The Verge</a> seemed to appreciate how the update just sort of tied the room — er, operating system — together. <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/06/15/os-x-el-capitan-preview/" target="_blank">Mashable perhaps summed it up best</a>: "If you like Yosemite, you'll like El Capitan, too." Apple is expected to release public betas of both El Capitan and iOS 9 for consumers sometime next month, ahead of the final release this fall.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_daily_apple_music_royalties_new_garageband_features_el_capitan_reviews#commentsNewsapple dailyApple MusicBeats OneGaragebandJune 30music labelsmusic publishersOS X El CapitanreviewsroyaltiesiPadiPhoneiPodMacMon, 15 Jun 2015 23:00:12 +0000J.R. Bookwalter21740 at http://www.maclife.comApple to Music Biz: More Beyonce-Style Exclusives, Please!http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_music_biz_more_beyoncestyle_exclusives_please
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/beyonce_itunes_exclusive_620px.png" alt="Beyonce iTunes exclusive" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>Late last year, Apple shocked music lovers by being the first to debut a new, unannounced Beyonce album as an iTunes exclusive — and now Cupertino is lobbying executives to provide them with more of the same.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/record-labels/5922966/apple-presses-labels-for-more-beyonce-type-exclusives-in" target="_blank">Billboard reported Friday</a> that Apple has been actively lobbying music executives in search of additional exclusives such as the self-titled Beyonce album that made a surprise debut in December as a one-week iTunes exclusive.<br /><br />Music labels have good reason to try it again: Although Beyonce was only available for purchase as a complete album during its first week on iTunes, it racked up more than a million sales worldwide prior to rolling out at other retailers and competing streaming services like Spotify and YouTube.<br /><br />According to music executives "familiar with the conversations," Apple music chief Robert Kondrk has been "pressuring major labels" for additional exclusives even as the overall digital music market slid 5.7 percent in 2013.<br /><br />The report notes that Apple, who has yet to debut a pure streaming music solution similar to Spotify, Rhapsody, or Beats Music, may be hoping to use exclusives as a way to "preserve its iTunes sales business." iTunes remains the world's largest music store, and that status has had a halo effect over the years with sales of the company's iPod and iPhone products.<br /><br />Apple may not have to pitch very hard: Music labels have a notoriously thorny relationship with music streaming providers and YouTube, both of which offer less money paid over a longer period compared to the instant gratification of an iTunes sale.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_music_biz_more_beyoncestyle_exclusives_please#commentsNewsapple executivesApple Inc.Beyoncedigital musicexclusivesiTunesmusic labelsmusic salesSpotifystreaming musiciPadiPhoneiPodMacMon, 03 Mar 2014 14:28:27 +0000J.R. Bookwalter19464 at http://www.maclife.comAmazon Said to Chat Up Music Labels About Streaming Servicehttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/amazon_said_chat_music_labels_about_streaming_service
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/amazon_music_label_620px.png" alt="Amazon Music label" width="620" height="300" /></p><p>E-tailer Amazon is toying with the idea of raising the price of its annual Prime subscription, but will the company offer customers any additional benefits along with the price hike? A new report claims music streaming could be in the cards.<br /><br /><a href="http://recode.net/2014/02/27/amazon-talks-to-music-labels-about-a-streaming-service/" target="_blank">Re/code reported Thursday</a> that Amazon has been actively circling the music industry in the hopes of launching a streaming service similar to the one it already offers for movies and television shows.<br /><br />While this isn't the first time such rumors have surfaced, industry sources claim the company is "now engaged in more serious talks with big music labels" over the past few months.<br /><br />Unfortunately, any launch plans may be some ways off yet: A source at one of the music labels claims they're nowhere close to cutting a deal with Amazon, who is apparently looking for a "substantial discount" on price compared to what rivals Spotify, Rhapsody and Beats Music pay.<br /><br />Amazon recently told investors the company is considering a price hike for its Prime service, which offers free two-day shipping as well as a burgeoning catalog of movie and TV show content for $79 per year. The e-tailer could raise that fee by as much as $40 per year, putting it closer to $119 per year -- but knowing Amazon, there will likely be some further value added before they do so, and streaming music could be just the ticket.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a></em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/amazon_said_chat_music_labels_about_streaming_service#commentsNewsAmazonAmazon PrimeDealsdigital musicmusic labelsmusic streamingNegotiationsstreaming musicsubscriptionsFri, 28 Feb 2014 12:34:49 +0000J.R. Bookwalter19448 at http://www.maclife.comReport: Apple Nabs Warner Music for "iRadio," Sony Remains Holdouthttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/report_apple_nabs_warner_music_iradio_sony_remains_holdout
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u220903/internet_radio_200px.png" alt="Internet radio" width="200" height="150" class="graphic-right" />With Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference only a week away, time is running out if Cupertino wants to launch its rumored "iRadio" service at the June 10 keynote.<br /><br /><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57587243-93/apple-reaches-iradio-deal-with-warner-music-suggesting-wwdc-launch/" target="_blank">CNET reported Sunday</a> that Apple appears to have Warner Music Group on its side for "iRadio," the free internet music streaming service Cupertino is rumored to debut at the WWDC 2013 conference next week.<br /><br />The news could mark a turning point for Apple, since the deal includes both Warner as a music label as well as the company's publishing division, Warner Chappell. Last month, Apple reportedly secured a deal with Universal Music, which now leaves Sony as the lone holdout out of the big three music labels.<br /><br />While Google recently followed Spotify, Rdio and Rhapsody into the all-you-can-eat subscription music streaming waters with Google Play Music All Access, Apple is believed to be carving out a path that more closely resembles Pandora, the free internet radio service.<br /><br />The holdup has widely been blamed on Apple's desire to slash the per-stream rates paid to the music labels, which were believed to be far less than Pandora already pays. The report notes Apple may have caved in to labels and publishers to get things moving, now paying as much or even more than Pandora.<br /><br />With a much wider potential audience thanks to the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, that could equate to big dough for the music industry -- iTunes currently has 500 million accounts worldwide compared to only 70 million active users on Pandora.<br /><br /><em>Follow this article’s author, <a href="http://twitter.com/JRBTempe" target="_blank">J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter</a><br /><br />(Image courtesy of PentaxForums.com)</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/report_apple_nabs_warner_music_iradio_sony_remains_holdout#commentsNewsDealsiRadiomusic labelsmusic publisherspandoraradio appsRecord LabelsWarner Music GroupWWDC 2013iPadiPhoneiPodMon, 03 Jun 2013 13:47:24 +0000J.R. Bookwalter17136 at http://www.maclife.com